Zürich-based startup RosieReality raises €2 million to build AR games for kids

Zürich-based RosieReality wants to capture kids’ natural curiosity and creativity with Rosie, a cute AR robot. Rosie inhabits a Lego-like modular AR-world within which kids can creatively build, solve and share world-size 3D AR-puzzle games with friends and family.

Founded in 2018, RosieReality has raised a seed round of €2 million led by RedAlpine with participation from Shasta Ventures and Siraj and Mattias from Atomico.

The startup was in stealth for the better part of 2018. According to co-founder and CEO Sélim Benayat, the team has spent their time solving one of AR’s most pressing challenges – making it usable and fun to use for an everyday user. They have spent a lot of time at schools and family homes to understand and solve the AR-onboarding challenge for a young consumer audience. The team plans to use the new funding to grow in the US market.

The company sees Europe as a melting pot for world-class technical talent that has a keen eye for sleek and engaging consumer design. RosieReality used that advantage to grow its team from initially three co-founders a year ago to now 15 people working towards brining modular AR-gameplay to families around the globe.

Mary is the new Head of Content at EU-Startups.com. She is an experienced journalist and researcher covering tech and business topics. Mary formerly worked for NGOs in the US as a reporter, editor, researcher, organizer, and entrepreneur.